I'll Never Walk Alone

When you see long gaps in blogs you wonder, what is going on with this chick?  

Well, long story short (at least for now) back in the spring of 2014 I was diagnosed with colon cancer.  I was blessed in many ways with this.  I know that sounds strange but timing was perfect.  If I had my test on the planned original surgical date, I would have been clean and would not have another test for 10 years!!!  In that ten year time I would have had to have most likely developed symptoms and the cancer would be quite developed.  My cancer literally grew into cancer in the short time between the two colonoscopies; about two weeks.

I had originally was suppose to have my routine colonoscopy back in the summer of 2013 but I came down with a cold and I had to reschedule.  I was told they were booking out and was asked to call in December.  No problem.  Who doesn't want to delay the "pooper scope" anyway.  I did call in December (I am rather good like that) and they didn't have an opening until May.  So on my birthday in May of 2014 I had colonoscopy #1.  Although I had no polyp's (yea!) there was a fold in the colon and so the doctor took several samples.  The samples were "inconclusive" and I was asked to take another test immediately.  I was currently non symptomatic; I had no indications there was anything wrong.  So, the area was marked with a tattoo and many more tissue samples were taken in the second procedure.  Within a week I got a call from the doctor that everyone dreads.  I had cancer.  If I had not a cold back in 2013, I would be in a very dire situation.

I do plan on explaining this journey in more detail in this blog and also in my other blog A Time and Season for Everything    http://atimeandseasonforeverything.blogspot.com/.  In fact, my plan is to write two biblical studies.  One for Advent and another for Lent.

For now, I am in remission but, I also live with cancer cells in my body.  Last week I had a ultrasound on my thyroid, which showed a node which appears hard.  So, I should know next week when I will go in for my biopsy.  For at least the next 3 years I am at a high risk.  My doctors are staying on top of things, now I need to do the same.  It sometimes hard juggling doctors, blood work, test, visits and yet also take care of my spiritual being and my walk and relationship with God.

God Intervention

I am in need of a God intervention.  I am scared (pain, although I do have a very high tolerance) I am frightened that I will not die well.  I have been with individuals who were bitter and angry to the end, and those who saw family members who have past surrounding them, preparing them to pass the bridge from Earthly life to eternal life.  I desire to be like those individuals that when the time comes who will come to terms and face death and reconciliation with God with an overwhelming grace, warmth and peace.  

I Am Waiting  

I have made a vow to my self to live each day as it is, a gift.  I cannot tell the time, the date, nor the hour.  I cannot even say it will be cancer that takes me.

Today, as I came to this conclusion I was listening to some music from a link on my Face Book account.  What I came were a few songs that just slapped me and answered that silent prayer I was forming. I sure was having a hard time feeling Him at times. Cancer is nothing if not confusing.  It drives me nuts the way it plays with one's feelings.  In remission?   Yes.  Still have cancer?  Yes.  it sounds like an oxymoron.  This is explained better in my "bigger story".

So, now to the purpose of my post.  As I said I am waiting.  Now, I am not the most patient of gals and I am terrible with an endless case of "what if...."  I was functioning, but, I was missing something.

So Sings My Soul

Music and lyrics have always found me.  I often did not even know I was seeking.  I was just listening to music when I heard this, one of a few songs that seemed to speak to my heart.  Singing what I could not say.  Words that are like angel wings.. softly caressing my fears until they find a unimaginable peace.  It is like the first time you hear a song and say "that is a great song" It goes beyond being a good listening song, or dancing, grooving or driving song.  It is almost like a key that has been found and the turning of the lock releases a treasure of comfort!  It becomes supernatural in nature because it can touch your soul.

This song is so comforting and I know I will be needing it, maybe you will too.  I need to trust in God and his strong foundation.

YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE

When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark

At the end of the storm
There's a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark

Walk on through the wind
Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown

Walk on walk on with hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone
You'll never walk alone

 Walk on walk on with hope in your heart

And you'll never walk alone
You'll never walk

You'll never walk
You'll never walk alone 

http://www.metrolyrics.com/youll-never-walk-alone-lyrics-ge…
Read more: Gerry And The Pacemakers - You´ll Never Walk Alone Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Gerry And The Pacemakers - You´ll Never Walk Alone Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Lyrics to 'You´ll Never Walk Alone' by Gerry And The Pacemakers. When you walk through a storm / Hold your head up high / And don't be afraid of the dark / At

metrolyrics.com

Too Many Grapes

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Today I had a discussion with my husband about one of those Facebook posted quiz type of things that involved picking a photo of different doors.  I picked one and quickly looked up my "reading".  I thought, oh okay and went on.  My husband had this sent to him and he picked a door.  He asked me what door I picked and I told him.  His next comment surprised me "boy they really nailed you".  Confused (because I already forgot what my door had to say about me...I usually let these things kind of run off)  he proceeded to tell me what my door said about me. As it turned out he was right.  He goes on that I always have my fingers in something.  Something you want to do.  Doing something that matters. You juggle a full bowl. Wow.

A recent incident, which had nothing to do with the story of the doors, came to mind.  I love grapes and I was getting down to the grapes that are at the bottom of the bag.  I kept grabbing and I kept loosing them.  No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to grab the amount I wanted. I realized it wasn't working. While I was trying to pick up many grapes, my fingers were busy holding what few I had in my hand.  Taking the bag out I opened up my hand and placed each grape, one at a time, into my open cupped hand. 

It really was working too hard.  I was not finding the answer. I was trying to push those grapes into my fisted hand.  If I had relaxed my hand, I would be able to put each grape in my palm; in a planned and deliberate manner.  My life is like this.  Feel free to slap my hand.

Several years ago I decided to start a "bucket list".  Nothing way out there just things like visiting Martha's Vineyard.  Another was going to Bar Harbor Maine.  Being a New Englander it was something every New Englander needs to do.  Another was trying oil painting.  One turned out better than the other.  But, it was planned.

When I start overloading anything it catches up.  I am pretty good about evaluating my time (after years of juggling, I am better) but reining in my desires is another thing.  I desire to have a full bucket of things!  I am not saying that people should not live this way, only you can judge that.  What I am saying is that when you get to a certain age you need to realize you are not a young woman who has unlimited time in front of me.  This is me, you may be perfectly fine and going like a Ever Ready Bunny.  I cannot and in fact I really never could. 

Back to the grapes.  When I lessened my grip I was able to get even more grapes than I wanted! 

Going through life we will have a few grapes that roll off.  Looking at my life I will always have things I want to try to do.  Things I may fail, but I need to remember nothing comes to you without trying.  For those times when I have reached failure (I really have to tell you about my venture into oil painting) I can dust myself off and go on. For me, success was not necessarily, but trying was.

I am a child of God, and I have been led by His leanings.  I have come to the conclusion that I needed to reach out to be the person God wants me to be and the paths He will lead me down.  Some paths will turn out great, some will be learning lessons (like oil paint in my hair) It is when those situations are looked upon as lessons, you can smile.  No failures, just an ambition to try.

So, friends take each idea and dream (grapes) and place them in your open hands (or maybe in one of those buckets) and be deliberate.  What comes out may not be what you planned but is what you need.  

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Wednesday January 22, 2014

Here I am!  Although I would do better to say Here am I. 

I have been a terrible web gal and I could go on with a litany of reasons why I have not kept up. But, I feel I am on the rim of something and I am beginning anew!

I have been busy doing all kinds of things which are not really "bucket list" (although I do have one of those) but perhaps more as a "cup full".  Small task at a time, to establish something and follow through to the end.  This from a gal who had her last post a year ago!

This year I think even my doctor decided that I needed some changes.  Hope.  Yup, I have always been a quite positive person but when I got the Fibromyalgia it really took me for a loop.  I am learning to live with it, although I much rather live without it!  

My doctor suggested I see a Health Coach.  Well, it turned to be the best journey for me!  I found some things about myself I had no clue about.  Maybe because sometimes just putting one foot in front of the other has been difficult.  I began to really dig deep and do some changes.  

I had four things to work on for the next four months, or at least begin.

1.  To paint.  I am very artistic and belong to two decorative arts chapters but I have not really painted in two years.  I came to the understanding that it was because it was painful enough before (I could put myself down for two days if I painted all day) I was actually afraid of more pain.  Very unlike me.  I usually say "pain is relative".  But, amazingly, during painting I feel nothing.  I have always prayed before painting and that even stopped.  So, that was my first task.  I made painted ornaments for the church fair.  Yes it hurt like the dickens later, but I did it anyway and THAT is what I need to remember.  And I also found out I was terribly out of practice. LOL

2.  To write.  I have in mind a bible study and I am also working on a work of fiction.  Write in my blog!   You may say too much.  But, I multitask well.  I am often reading 3 books at the same time.  As long as the genre is different I have no problem.

3.   To keep my body as flexible as I can - chair yoga here I come!

4.   Cook creatively and maybe enter a contest or two.  I have won two contest, one from Hannaford Grocery which was for cash and I was able to help stock up my church's pantry.  It was a gift for both of us.

So, as one of my painter friends does...this year I am picking a word to focus on.  I know there will be setbacks and some stalls but HOPE seems well, hopeful.

I hope to be more patient with myself
I hope to touch someone for the better
I hope to be the best wife I can be
I hope and pray that God use me
I hope that all through the pain, I still see wonder and blessing in life.

This was pretty powerful for me.

Every year at Easter I have been known to "die".  To allow myself to experience the rebirth of who God intends me to be.  This year won't be any different.

This has been my journey thus far.

I would love to challenge anyone who is reading this.  To give themselves an accomplishment (with a broad stroke) to achieve.  

Finally, pick a word that has tickled your brain lately.   Who knows, you may actually find a new way to live.

Peace
Ginny

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My How Time Does Fly

Well, finally after having spent two days to figure out what google account I had associated with Renderings I finally am back "in"

It was a reflective Christmas with much time for fun, friends and family.

So many I am speaking with are thinking the same...maybe it's the age, maybe it's the economy, maybe it is a greater awareness.   But, we all agree we have made measures to reduce, reduce, reduce.

Family sharing, making memories and not being so stressed that we forget about the whole reason we have this season has become much bigger a priority.  Maybe that is where need to look at our lives.... in our priorities.

When Chris and I first got married we spent an hour opening gifts to each other.  Horrified that I am now (of course this is over 30 years ago) I can remember being miserable because he could not find this particular necklace I wanted.  It just colored the whole day, night and season.  I look at who I was then and who I am now and wonder "where did she come from?"

I do have to say it was a learning experience though.  I stepped back after Christmas that year and said I was quite the whiny little wife.  I was selfish and how DARE I take that kind of attitude with 1.  A man who does nothing but try to please and 2. Making it about me.

I changed.

Even now I cringe at the old me.  I thank God every day that he has taught me appreciation, being in the moment, acceptance and above all grace.

These days we exchange a few gifts and make our candlelight meal on Christmas Even the "event" at home and the late night service at church our Heavenly dessert. 

It has made life so easy and has taken away the pressures of the "world" and has given me an appreciation of that small babe who gave his all for me.

Oh it has been a journey.  We are finally getting the families more on board.  Making memories is much more fun and appreciated than a token gift.  Getting together for lunch during the year is such a delight without having a "holiday" to solidify it.

So dear ones I ask this January you reflect upon next Christmas season (which starts earlier and earlier) and start taking those baby steps (especially if you have children) to truly make "Jesus the reason for the season". 

For a peace that passes all understanding, you will not regret it.

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Crying over Spilt Milk Cake

In my adventurous nature, I decided to try a new recipe; some thing rather different for me.  I have had the recipe once before, but mine wasn’t quite the same.  The demon was called Tres Leches (Milk Cake) which means three milk cake.

Now there were three different versions on the net.  I tried the one that I thought looked interesting (I can see the horns on that devil now).  It has whole milk, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk and not to mention cream.  Now this cake is SUPPOSED to be moist and can I tell you mine was a bit like a brick? Okay give me some mortar and I will build a wall with this thing.  It tasted fine, but dense, more like a 10-"pound" cake.

Not that I didn’t try.  There was a whole can of condensed milk and a small can of evaporated milk that you pour on the cake after it is baked.  I stabbed the cake with gusto and with anticipation. I was loving the custard sort of taste the milk made.

We even waited until the next day to make sure all the ingredients were soaked in well.  I took the cake out and whipped my cream with powdered sugar and frosted.  For a extra nice look I added roasted cinnamon on top.  It looked great.  It tasted okay (I say this in a generous way), but it was not light and fluffy at all.  It was sort of moist and not at all what I was expecting.  So today I poured more milk over the top.  We will see if it taste better.

Fortunately, my husband is a great “experiment eater”.  He liked the cake even if he had to slice it up! What a guy.  I suspect he is waiting until this cake is done so I can do the recipe from the Pioneer Woman website called “knock you naked brownies”.  The brownies sound so great, and dessert like.  But I will absolutely refuse to get naked!  Unless, of course it is 88 degrees again!  Wait maybe it is like knocking your socks off... only more so.... I better think on this.  Maybe hubby and I should do a trial run! LOL  Anyway, he finds redeeming factors in just about anything I cook or bake.  So, even a as dense as a brick, it was pronounced "good".

As it turned out, I picked the first day of higher temps.  We’ve been getting temps in the 60’s (unusual) and suddenly we jumped passed the 70’s right into the 80’s.  It is was 86 and hot hot hot!  Ok, now it was a labor not just of love but of sweat.  Geeze.

So, what do you do when your disappointed in a dessert you spent good money to make and something you were drooling over?

I guess I will try another one of the recipes, one with less than 9-( count ‘em) eggs.  The horrible part of the whole deal was the eggs, they had to be separated.  If you ask my husband I can break a egg yolk just by looking at it.  A master of fried eggs sunny side up, I am not.  But, thankfully they all came out great.  Of course that could be attributed to the fresh eggs from one of my church friends.  Some were a lovely shade of blue.  Made me think....hmmmmmmm why color eggs when you can buy’em that way.  I digress....as usual.

Well, that is all I am  gong to say on the subject of Spilt Milk Cake.  Live and learn I say.  I also live by the mantra “Change is Good” so I am going to try this recipe again, when my cholesterol goes down (only kidding, my cholesterol is great)

Until then, I will  grab a glass of milk and a bunch of Oreo cookies and pat myself on the back for finding a delicious alternative until I brave this recipe again.

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Death by Chocolate Cookie, or Death by a Chocolate Cookie

Today I started out fine.  I pulled my stick of butter out to make Baker’s Death By Chocolate Cookie that hubby has been drooling for since last week.   This was as I was going through about 10 years worth of recipe clippings to decide as to what to keep and what to throw away.  (If you think I am kidding, I am not)  I am the world’s number One recipe hoarder.  Anything I like or think I might like I rip, tear, beg and pry out of cold dead hands.  It is a really odd hobby.

Anyway, hubby sees this recipe and goes a little nuts.....so I said today I would make the cookies (since yesterday I got chastised pretty good for not having done them) but I found I have every Baker’s chocolate except the one I need.  I am so dern frustrated.

So frustrated I decide to take that room where I still have boxes of those recipes and start cleaning, and cleaning and cleaning.   Ok, he’s gonna take one whiff of the stale doggie air and say where are my cookies!  “But, look honey!  See what I have accomplished today!”

What I have “accomplished” is to wreck not just one room, but two rooms and a hallway!  Cleaning dusting, finding stuff for the church rummage sale and Ebay.  No difference to that nose of his, nooooooooo.  What he will do is pout and mention his lack of chocolate cookies, with nuts of course.

Actually, he is a peach of a guy and doesn’t ask for much, except home made cookies.  He was very spoiled by mom (my Mom in Love!) to have home made treats all the time.  My mom’s idea of dessert was a chocolate pudding mix put into a Keebler graham cracker crust and Cool Whip.  We were not dessert people.  So, when we married and he had these expectations I was a bit surprised.  After all I was of the generation of “I am woman hear me roar”.  When it comes to him I more of a mewer.

At Christmas I will make batches and batches of different cookies for friends and I always freeze some for him.  He eats them through the year.  Sometimes he just gets a yen and then there is the rub.....

So, tomorrow I will go shopping and buy what I need to make cookies.  Today I took out my frustrations, making more of a mess than anything else.  And, if he should ask about those Baker’s One Bowl Death By Chocolate Cookies tonight (and com’on he will) I will tell him to check out my blog..

Meantime for those of you who DO have the ingredients here is the recipe.

BAKER’S ONE BOWL
DEATH BY CHOCOLATE COOKIE

Prep 15 min
Bake 12 min

2 pgs. (16 squares) Baker’s Semi-sweet Baking Chocolate, Divided
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup of butter or margarine (I like unsalted)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. Baking powder
2 cups chopped nuts (gotta have nuts!)

Heat oven to 350.
Coarsely chop 8 squares (1 package) of the chocolate, set aside.
Microwave remaining 8 squares of chocolate in large microwaveable bowl HIGH for 1-2 minutes.  Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.  Stir in sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla.  Stir in flour and baking powder.  Stir in reserved chopped chocolate and nuts.  Drop by 1/4 cupfuls (yeah cupfuls) onto ungreased cookie sheet
BAKE 12-13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and feel set to the touch.
Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minutes.  Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.  Makes about 1-1/2 dozen cookies.


And for fabulous other recipes from Baker’s go here http://www.kraftbrands.com/bakerschocolate/home.aspx and you too can drool!

A Heart Full of Holes

A thought came to me today.... I have not just a Holy heart but a heart full of holes.

We lost our 14 year old dog about a week ago.  It was a sad situation, but in my heart I have known that we always have given our fur babies the best in life.  The best medical care, the bestest love!  But, yet there is a hole in my heart named Cuddles right now.

Life is sort of like this.  We go through, being born with a whole heart full waiting to be filled by the love of a parent, who teaches us to fill our own heart.  Then life begins to take little heart shape pieces out.  For each loss, for each hurt we, in our humanness begin to live with a heart full of pieces that have been removed by sadness, grief, hurt and suffering.  Yet we go on. 

A funny thing about the heart, it hurts, but it goes on.  After a while we learn to live with the holes and sometimes even find things to help heal and fill them.  But, that is not to say that these heart holes still don’t remain.

Yesterday a dear man from our church passed to be with the Lord.  I am sure his family has large gapping holes to deal with.  He was the kind of guy who you could not forget.  His smile was contagious his courage impressive.  But, yesterday his own heart was fully healed and created whole again by the absolute recreation and reconciliation with God.

I do not compare the love of an animal to the love of a human.  I am just stating the human condition as I see it, feel it.

I take comfort in that someday my heart will be made fully whole and lifted into absolute glowing, for an eternity no less.  All those pieces that have been carried to the other side, will be united in me in wholeness and glory.

As we come into Holy week I have a chance to remind myself that, this is but a human vessel, and that it is the love that goes on.  The remembrances I have will hold me until I can once again be united with those whom I have lost, and have taken a part of my heart with them.  Reunited in love and in wholeness because of a sacrifice made over 2000 years ago.

Sometimes it is hard to get your head wrapped around this.  But, there are things, emotions, that cannot be denied and cannot be fully understood and comprehended until the moment of reconciliation.  I am not to really fully understand, only to hold faith that all that I believe is.

My favorite bible verse is Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

I cannot see my soul, yet I know that it is there.  I cannot see the hurts, yet I know that they are there.  I cannot see Jesus, but I know he is there.

In the journey of life we learn to cope and if we are lucky we find ourselves partnered in faith to sustain us.  It is there, we need only accept it.  Our journey may be long, it may be short.  It may be filled with a heart full of holes, with scars and healing.  The heart can find peace, but it will only find full rest and restitution at the feet of our Holy One.

So is my heart whole?  Yes and no.  No because suffering can leave it’s mark and yes because at the same time it is protected and reassured through my belief that someone holds me in eternity.

I guess I hadn’t started to be so theological in the beginning of this post, but today as I wait on information on services of my dear church friend it came to me ......

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Noshing on Gum & Wearing Pretty Pink Robes

(photo from a great site called  The Chihuahua Clothes Blog http://chihuahuathreads.com)

I sit here still in my bathrobe feeling guilty and lazy.  It was one of those nights and although I got up at 8 I still have not gotten into the day.   I wonder why.  I am noshing on gum, until lunch so I won’t eat the refrigerator clean. 

It’s not that I haven’t been busy.

I turned the kitchen table around, only to realize I liked it the way it was.  I had some quality time with the pets, always a good thing right?  Well, I am convincing myself that they love their “mummy” in a flowing pink bathrobe that makes me feel like someone out of a Harry Potter film.

I’ve let the dogs in and out three times already.  The sun is out, and they know it.  It is a dirty little secret that even when it is only 50 degrees in the sun, they feel constricted by the house too.  My only regret is the in/out of it all.  I stare out before I open the door because it would be a horror if the neighbors caught me in my jammies and big pink bathrobe.

One dog pounces out to take on the world, the other in a daze of confusion stands and wonders where the heck she was going.  She is our dear one with “doggy Alzheimer's”.  She often will go in a room and stand, as if to say, why am in here?  Or will circle around the large coffee table, not being able to go backwards or turn around and insist you move anything in her path so she may continue on her routine and journey.  Or the fact that she get's herself into these situations she is not sure of.  LIke the time we opened the dog gate, where she was standing on the end with the hinge.  She could not figure how to get out of the corner when the gate was opened and just looked helpless as to say “why am I in this prison?”

I don’t do this often (spend the morning with my jammies), well at least not often enough that I don’t feel guilty about being in a big pink flying robe.  The idea I might eat lunch this way gives me the heebee geebees.  What person eat’s lunch in their big pink robe? 

I can remember years ago (yea I am that old) that my mom always wore “house dresses”.  Another word for casual, I don't care who sees me but this is acceptable behavior.   Basically they were dresses that were usually made of cotton, often with short sleeves and buttons down the front.  Although, in the summer the sleeveless ones were acceptable too.  Now, she would go from her jammies right into this dress and wear it for days!  She was of a generation that didn’t waste anything.  Time, clothes or soap.  Not that she wasn’t clean, she was, but it was not unusual for her to wear only two dresses a week.  So, what is the dif?

The difference is no one wears house dresses any more.  Ah, it was like rolling out of bed, literally.  Take your dress into the bathroom with you and viola! You are ready to face the day! 

Sweats are always a great alternative.  Yea I could get a pair of sweats on, but then I would have to change before this evening because hubby and I are going out...people see me in sweats???  I don’t mean the cute ones, no the fleece warm as I can get ones.  The ones with paint stains on them.....

The gum noshing is going good.  It makes me realize I am getting a bit board.  “does your chewing gum loose it’s flavor on the bedpost overnight?  If your mother says don’t chew it....” Awe, gee, that is going to be in my head all day.

A quick sniff to the pink sleeve... yea it doesn’t smell yet.  Robes actually fight not to be washed, did you know that?  Yeah, they fly all over to avoid the brutal and harshness of the washing machine.  But, it got a good washing just last week, even with the terrible fight to get it all in the washer with the towels. Robes and towels, they actually hate each other.  At least that is what I tell myself to avoid washing the “big pink thing” all too often.

Well, I guess it is time to shower and wake up.  Put the body and mind in gear.  I will let go of my robe with a flare before then, hang it on the knob in the bathroom for this evening and wonder what would I ever do without it.  Now where can I spit out this gum???
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Easter, a Season of Surprises

Every year I look at the time of Lent as a time of renewal, reflection and renewal.  Easter for me is just not candy eggs and little girls in pretty frocks and women in flowered hats.

I have been brought up to believe in the wonder of Christmas, but as an adult I realized the power of Easter, when we are ALL born again.

It is easy to find yourself engulfed in the power of Christmas.  It is a season of hope, faith, peace.  It was through this birth that we Christians have become a “people”.  All is calm, all is bright.  But, it is during those tender times I remember the phrase about Mary, Jesus’ mother.  “she took all these things unto her heart and pondered them”.  Did she know of Calvary?  Did she know that she would loose her son, in order to gain a Son?

Every Christmas I shed a tear...... I cry sometimes because I realize I am the last of my immediate family.  I cry sometimes because I feel like an orphan.  But, I always cry because I know the fate of this little boy, all for the sake of me.

Easter is not one day, it is a season.  Lent.  Have we wrapped our heads around this?  In my younger years I practiced the discipline of denial.  Oh, how I held off on sweets until Easter and then gobbled up every one of those chocolate eggs!  Now, as a person of mature faith I find that Easter is a perfect season to give, to change, to pray what direction God wants my resources to go?  Can I not bring some sunshine?  A phone call, a card a kind word or two.  Make a donation to something or someone.  Invite someone to lunch?  This, for me, is sharing God. 

How do you explain the God who loves me like no other?

The only human thought I can connect Calvary with is one of a parent and child.  Would you not give all you have to save your child?  Would you not demonstrate your love in appreciation?

Surprise yourself this Season of Lent.  Take quiet time and reflect.  I mean really reflect.  Take the fullness of the season and pray for God to reveal how he wants you “walk the walk”.  During this time of self reflection, touch another with the power of the Holy Spirit that walks within you.

I lead a lot of Bible study classes and one of my favorite questions “are you a Christmas person?”  I am not speaking of the obvious, but hinting toward the spiritual.  Even more so, I ask of myself “am I an Easter Person?”  How do you thank someone for a sacrifice such as this?  You can’t.  What you can is do things in the spirit of love, faith, and peace.

All I ask is that you look into your heart and remember that Easter begins with Lent.  A season to cry, change and yes celebrate!
How can you share this?  Anyway you can.  Big or small.  Taking small steps of kindness to others, while wondering where God is going to lead you.

On Easter day I stand in the pew and during the fist chorus of “Christ the Lord Has Risen Today” I use to cry because of the harshness of mankind actually killed the Son.  Now I cry in thankfulness.  I will be with Christ in eternity.  God’s gift to man, that we should love for an eternity and be loved.

My, my what a surprise.  How can you not feel blessed?

What is it with Women and Their Purses?

What is it with Women and Their Purses?

Can anyone tell me?  I use to be quite the hound when it came to shopping for purses.  I was always looking for the one which spoke to me.... here pick me....I can hold your sunglasses in a very special place..... your phone will never get lost in me..... come to me.......


It was 4 purses a year before I started spending some good money at LL Bean for purses and some trendy purses (with pockets for everything) called Baggallini’s  Yes, they are wonderful for traveling, strap them over the shoulder and you are stylin' girl!!!  If you are on the lookout for them try AAA. Of all places, they have a small selection of them and they are reduced in price for about 20% less.  

I picked out a wild lime green Baggallini for my last cruise, which my hubby claimed to be as bright as a neon light in the dark.  My next one was a larger one in a dusty blue, much more to his liking (like I really cared....when he starts carrying one he can have a say! LOL)  I did get him back recently by buying a new wallet...in neon green although a friend calls it "frog" green.  It is very easy to spot in the bottom of my purses!



I pretty much was settled into my LL Bean kidney shape, good for the back, lacking any great colors and costing way too much.  But, still not being a slave to fashion (just purses) I was in the mood to brighten my day!  Then I figure, take a ride to "see what's out there".


Not one to turn away a bargain I spotted a leather $40 purse at Kohls.  I had some discount tickets and that puppy ended up costing me a grand total of $7 when I was done.  It is neutral and will take me into the spring and again in the fall.  Okay, I have never been a clothes trend setter but I am a purse snob.  I am willing to pay $70 for quality, but $7 for a leather purse... that sucker was calling my name from the front doors...... come.....come....come......I'm yours....


Hubby was surprised (pleasantly he didn't moan because I was "buying" something I really didn't need) but wait....who uses a black purse when they are just aching for spring??  Tell me???  I am so ready for spring.  The past winter here in New England has been sloppy, cold and long!  I needed a little something to infuse HOPE!  Yes, those crocuses will come up by May (that is an exaggeration) and I will see grass again someday.  Like a good husband, he caved.  "It's rather nice" was my approval and a virtual pat on the back for a job well done in being so shopping savvy.


So my big old backpack is upstairs for next year.  It holds the world, just not my heart...at least for the moment.


Yes, shopping for purses can be a defining moment.  Are you making a statement?  Going for function over style, or does style trump everything?  Is it a large purse (very popular now) or something big enough only for a cell phone and loose change?


Ah the dynamics of women and purses, pocketbooks, wallets...  Who knew there was a science for each and every one of us.  Function?  Maybe that is important during the day, but give me a shimmery me happy purse for the evenings out.


To each their own, and I own plenty.

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Photos of the Fur-Kids

This is my little man Woody.  Woody with the "old lady" Cuddles and then Woody being a camera hog as we try to get a photo of the cat Amanda (the child I never had! LOL).  Then there is Treeny, another story in itself!

Hugs, Rubs and Frito Toes

Hugs, Rubs and Frito Toes

He is so handsome!  The first time I saw him he was a face in a crowd and although his manner was kind I never realized how sweet.  I am not talking about the man in my life, although Chris would like me to do so; maybe... I am talking about my dog Woody.

Right now our fur babies number four.  All except one has been adopted a little later in life.  The one we’ve had since a baby is a cat, which I affectionally named Amanda, after the child I never had. LOL

No, we are rescuers in a sense, not because of anything deliberately we go after, but because of circumstance.  It is like we are the stopping place for the ones who need us, and maybe we need them too.

Woody was sort of a unique adoption.  We had loss the last of our “chosen” pets, meaning we bought her as a puppy.  Her name was Darcy and as it turned out she was one of those pets who leaves an indelible mark on you.  Actually both my husband and I contend there will never be another like her and she was the dog of our “lifetime”.  In fact I still have dreams of her and I still smile wildly when I think of her and her antics.  She was a “princess” in all the senses of the title.  And for my husband she was even more special.  After having had a terrible painful time of it she was released from it all.  I was the one who thanked her and told her to run into her next life, for I felt she would be waiting for both my husband and I when our time would come.  For him, it was too painful, for me it provided peace.

After several years I was wanting another dog.  MY dog.  What can I say, my husband is an animal magnet.  All our animals (save one cat and now Woody) tended to bond with him. 

It was what seemed ages I kept hinting and asking, but my husband just did not budge.  Weather he had been too hurt by the loss of Darcy or was worried financially managing 4 animals (and vet bills) or the care and upkeep I don’t know, he just wouldn’t budge.  I finally just stopped asking.  Then there was Woody.

Our groomer was starting to have trouble with our eldest pet, a mini schnauzer who needed regular grooming and she had requested that one of us stay while she groomed her.  A just in case she became too unruly.  At the time the groomer had her own pack of dogs there with one new one.  He was the smallest of her brood.  Chris asked about him.  He was a very strange mix.  Looking like a basenji (but without the almond shaped eyes) he was told Woody was a mutt with Rat Terrier, Pom and Doxie mix.  Turns out she had an opportunity to buy him off of Craigs list (she was always suspect of small dogs on Craigs list ...dogfights you know) and she had a customer looking for a smaller dog.  Well, the other customer fell through.  On that faithful day she was talking about Woody and how he already had 3 owners and was still a sweet dog.  Chris was smitten.  Woody was warm and friendly and took to Chris and Chris took to him.  Next thing I get a phone call from the groomer asking me to come “meet” Woody.

I was stunned!  “Who’s idea is this?” at this point she assured me it was Chris’ and that he knew I was wanting another dog, to call my own.  I hopped into my car and went to introduce myself to Woody.

He was tan, with black and one paw that was white....shades of Michael Jackson.  I can’t say he was good looking but he the most soulful eyes.  He had a way with those ears, which by all that is natural and gravity driven, should be folded over.  But those ears stood straight up and had as much expression as his eyes.  His coloring was that of a shepherd, his nose cold.  The groomer had grown attached to him and her brood of pooches had grown use to him.  But, she with two Mastiffs and two Boston terriers was ready for Woody to find his forever home.  She had him tagged, fixed and all up to date with shots.

I went to the back of the shop where Woody could meet me.  He jumped on a chair and sniffed at my face and then  gave me a quick lick.  The groomer seemed surprised.  “he never licks anyone”

It was love at first lick.

She agreed to let us “try him out” after he had healed completely from his surgery (he had just been fixed the day before).  So, a week later we had our two week try out and Woody never left.  Our groomer check on him often during that time and could see that there was “something” between he and I.  We had not yet set a price (and we thought we would at the very least pay for the last vet visit) when she called two weeks before Christmas and said Woody would be our Christmas present and that she wouldn’t  accept anything for him.  This was such a gift.  She had paid $300 on Craigs List for him, and probably that much in vet bills.  We took him over to visit when we took our schnauzer in for grooming.  It was working out great.

Now, how do we stop the “every animal falls for Chris” spell.  Chris was not to pay much attention to him for a month, while I lavished it.  It was so sweet to have him follow me from room to room, tuck himself under my blankets and look soulful at me when he wanted “lov’in dov’ins”.  His ears were like silk, his sweetness was sincere and to think people didn’t want him!  He was meant to be with us.

After a period of time Chris came into the attention picture and we were complete.  My longing for another dog had gone.

It was after an article Chris read about dogs toes smelling like Frito-Lay Corn chips that the final tag of Frito-toes came to be.  Smell them, go ahead smell them.... maybe your dogs toes smells like the corn chip too!

It is funny how things work out.  There was a time that a little fellow needed a love that would be forever.  There was a time that a gal needed a little boy to call her own.  Under some strange and unusual odds they came together.

Now life is all hugs, rubs and Frito Toes.  Oh, what a lucky girl I am. 

Although I still sometimes dream of Darcy, my heart isn't as achy and if it is I look to my side and see a set of ears rising from the blankets and a cold nose waiting to touch my hand as he accepts a soft caress on his head.  Darcy may be with me forever, but for now I have love enough to share for dog who had quite a journey to come to me.  His paw comes to my face looking for more attention and I wonder what a wonderful joke life gives you and think, where is the dip??

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LAZY TURTLE BARS - It's been a long time baby!

Okay, can I say I am sorry for being away so long?  It was really very hectic around the holidays and I was working on home made goodies, and hand made goodies.  Problems with one of the furry kids too. 

Since I have ignored you terribly I feel I must (oh I MUST) give you my latest easiest confection recipe that I gave out this Christmas.

It was sort of odd the way it came about.  I was going to make turtles and I was having a terrible time getting those wrapped caramels.  Even my dear hubby Chris was searching for them every time he had to go into a store. 

He hit pay dirt with these new caramel melts.  They are round little balls that actually warm up quite nicely in a double boiler or a heavy bottom pan.  So, if you find these pick some up.  They were so easy to use, I didn't spend an hour (okay, it didn't take an hour, it just felt like it) unwrapping caramels, getting a sticky mess on my  fingers.  Now...I had all the ingredients I needed!

But, it was right before the giving of our goodie baskets!  I wanted to do something since I had the ingredients, but it had to be something quick.

So, here is the recipe....in time for Easter, yeah, that's the ticket...Easter!

LAZY TURTLE BARS

Take a sided cookie sheet (one of those sheets that can also be used to make a jelly roll) and cover entire pan, including going up all the sides.  Spray the foil with a butter flavor non stick spray.  Do not skip this part, otherwise you will have a dickens of a time getting these bars out of the pan!!!  Remember foil, non-stick spray a must.  If you do not do this, you will have to put your cookie sheet over a top of boiling water to get the bottom to loosen (and get sticky) in order to get them out...and they don't look pretty!!!  Learn from my experience.

2 bags of caramel melts
1 bag of chocolate chips (semisweet or milk chocolate) 12 ounces
3-4 cups of pecans (the more the better for my liking)

Melt the caramel over low heat until smooth.  If it get's a little too thick add a bit of cream

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, it tells you how on the packages (only if you are comfortable with that, or else use a double boiler)

In prepared pan, line the bottom with a boat load of pecans.  If you want to press them down to break them a bit to get good coverage, go for it.

Next, spread the caramel over the pecans.  You do not have to wait for the caramel to set up, because believe me it will set up as soon as you stop spreading.

Finally, take the melted chocolate and spread over top, making swirls and curls along the way. 

Now this is a trick I use to help me cut.  Once the chocolate is a bit solid, but not completely, I will score the chocolate so I know how to cut.  It helps me keep the pieces nice and even and I am not guessing as  I lay the knife down.  What can I say, what may look good before I cut can look terrible after the cut.  So, this is a cheat which also allows me to see how many pieces I am getting out of the batch.  I usually cut in a about 1 inch square, using a ruler as my scoring guide.

Take the pan and put it in either the refrigerator on in a dry cool space until it is completely set up. Here in New England, our 3 season porch becomes the "cold storage" room up until Christmas.  Candy making day, the porch is covered with confections galore.

On a cutting surface flip the pan over, remove the foil and turn it right side up again.  This can be a bit tricky, but it does look nicer.

Lay a large knife down in the scored chocolate (one of those Pizza rocker knives works well too) and press firmly, cutting through all those delicious nuts.

Keep in an airtight container (I always use tins, which I hoard just for my candy making projects).

I wrapped them in a tower using those candy bags you can get just about any where that Wilton products are sold.  I also tie up in a string.  If you are more festive curly ribbon looks very nice too.  They stack well because they are pretty solid and not messy until they are in your hands for a minute, but in this house they don't stay in your hand for a minute! ;-)

Because you scored so nicely, they stack beautifully.

These are so easy to make and so yummy.  Enjoy!

Until next time stay warm, stay safe
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Those Bloody Pomegranates

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Okay, so I have never had a pomegranate.  This time of year I see them everywhere.  Strange and somewhat mysterious, I had an adventurous moment while shopping and picked one up. 

Now I love the taste of pomegranate, but to eat a fresh one, I was in for a surprise.

The fruit was huge.  It was about the size of a soft ball.  Smooth and although its skin is peel-able (who knew) Chris and I decided to take a knife to cut it in half and then figure out how to attack it.  What a mistake.

On a white cutting board, we cut the strange fruit into half, meanwhile creating a splatter of about five feet.  All the while the red juice began to flow freely on the cutting board.  It looked like we just massacred a living thing. 

It became clear that the “seeds” or what ever they are called held all that fruity pleasure.  Armed with paper towels we stared to break apart the fruit.  What was revealed were little “bags” about the size of corn kernels.  Inside each kernel was a seed.  It was like eating crunchy corn on the cob.  A strange sensation of sweet, sour and crunch.  Not that I totally disliked it, the red juices continued flow down my arms as I was still trying to figure out the best way to eat this.

Should I dig in like an orange?  Well, that produced loads of juice, which flowed everywhere.

Finally I realized that popping each kernel out was much cleaner.  So, we began to break away pieces and chew, and chew, and chew.  My poor jaw was sore by the time I was finished with my half!

Now this may be the nectar of the gods, but the work of it all was just plain embarrassing.  Finally, after about a half hour we had finished making a mess, I mean eating.

The next day I found spots of juice everywhere from the plants to my collection of cows.

I now appreciate why the juice is so expensive.

For this adventurous gal, I will leave eating the pomegranate to those who cherish the experience.  As for me, give me a bottle of Pom and a couple of ice cubes...now that is my idea of nirvana.

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A Christmas Goodie! GINNY'S RASPBERRY TRUFFLES

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 GINNY'S RASPBERRY TRUFFLES- can you say YUMMY!!!!!

Back in 2004 I won second place in Hershey's "I resolve to eat more chocolate" contest and I thought I would share that recipe with you.  Now, these are easy to make but I do have one change.  Back when I made these Hershey's had raspberry chocolate chips you could buy.  They have been harder and harder to fined and now even on the company website they are not in stock.  My resolve to continue is to use Raspberry Flavored Oil.  DO NOT USE EXTRACT.  You can just use milk chocolate chips without the flavoring, but it does make a taste difference.  So, if you plan on making these, a couple of things.

1.  Plan to make them at least one week (two weeks are better) before giving, so that you can let them "mellow" if you use the liqueur. 

2.  DO NOT USE EXTRACT.  Extract has water in it and it will make the chocolate seize, (make it into one horrendous lump) and will not be able to be handled properly.

3.  Raspberry oil can be find in better cake supply places and always at candy supply places.  It is a candy flavoring, which makes it safe to use.  A little goes a long, long way.  So, for a $3 investment you have quite a few batches.

All that being said, the recipe is very easy.


GINNY'S RASPBERRY TRUFFLES

2 cups HERSHEY'S® Milk Chocolate Chips

1 2/3 cups Hershey's® Raspberry Chips (or substitute semi-sweet chocolate and use raspberry OIL)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 (10 ounce) jar seedless raspberry jam

2 tablespoons raspberry liqueur OR 1 teaspoon raspberry candy flavoring (Raspberry OIL)

5 tablespoons whipping cream,or as needed (humidity is the factor for the "as needed")  You really want to make them hard, but pliable enough to handle and roll without melting too much

Coatings (powdered sugar,cocoa, toasted coconut or chopped nuts) I LOVE chocolate or white jimmies (sprinkles for you non New Englanders!)


DIRECTIONS

1  Place chocolate chips, raspberry chips (or semi sweet chips and Raspberry oil) and butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at HIGH an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Stir in jam, liqueur and 4 tablespoons whipping cream. If necessary, add additional whipping cream, one half teaspoon at a time, until mixture is well blended and smooth.

2  Cover; refrigerate several hours or overnight until chocolate mixture is firm enough to handle. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls; while still tacky roll in your choice of coating. Place coated truffle on cookie sheet to set. Refrigerate several hours or until completely cold; transfer to airtight container. Store in cool, dry place. Candy flavor is best after storing for about 1 week. Truffles also freeze well.

Enjoy!  Many do! LOL

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Starting Early, Amen!

Well it is now officially November and I feel a bit better about my confessions.... I've been listening to Christmas music and picking out my Christmas crafts since the beginning of October!

I wanted to take a moment to share a favorite website which has a ton of ebooks you can download (just but ebook in the search).  At http://www.favecrafts.com/  you will find so many crafts you can never say there isn't something that you cannot "make" for the holidays!  I like to do easy crafts for our church fair and in past I have also done a Christmas craft with the children at the church.  I have to plan on two levels... the very young (which I learned last year NEVER give a child a glitter glue bottle!) and the older ones which range from 10-13.  I've even done things with the youth (a button wreath) which has proved fun.  They can easily use glue guns and can take directions well.  Well, at favecrafts.com you can find it all!

I am planning on making several homemade gifts this year.  I have made November my painting month (I am a decorative painter) and December is my baking month.  It just seems right this year.  Buying gifts is fine, but sometimes I like to give a little more of "me" and this year is the year!

My second "confession" is listening to Christmas music.  I have already gotten three new Christmas CD's.  Some I like more than others.  Here is my humble review of the three I've gotten so far.

1.  Wilson Phillips Christmas in Harmony.  I was thrilled to see them do a new CD.  I was big fans years ago when they were together.  I liked most of the music on this.  Their voices were wonderful (as usual) and they had a nice selection of old tunes.  The arrangements though were a little off for me.  But, I don't regret the purchase.  The Beach Boys was certainly an influence

2.  Point of Grace Home for the Holidays.  I love their harmonies as well!  They have another CD Tennessee Christmas: A Holiday Collection, which I did like more.  I tend to be a traditionalist.  The one song that I was intrigued with was Not So Silent Night.  It was lovely and like a poem.  Labor of Love was well, a bit different.  The second verse mentions blood on the ground.  It caught me a bit off guard.  Although I have to admit I did listen to every word after that. These ladies are great; Christmas music and their other CD's as well.

3.  Celtic Thunder Christmas.  Of the three I was disappointed in this.  I have come to love the harmonies of all the voices but in this CD they played up the individuals.  Not that they have bad independent voices, but I really wanted to hear ALL the voices. 

I am expecting Susan Boyle and I will review that when I get it.  Also, I am planning on writing about my recent trip to Savannah Georgia!  It will take a bit to get that one together, but I will post it. (between painting and such!)

Well, that is it for the moment.  Enjoy the autumn season.... although I love the "feelings" of Christmas, ice storms I do not! LOL.  After Christmas I have no use at all for snow and I am ready for spring by the end of January. 

I must start practicing being in the moment and treasuring each moment more!!!!

Autumn "Nesting" and Apple Caramel Focaccia

 I love this time of year!  I seem to want to settle in and cook, bake and experiment with new recipes.  I go through the thousands (I am not kidding) of cookbooks I have at hand and I try new "old" recipes (from my vintage collections) and new "new" ones from the likes of Taste of Home. 

Something about when the weather starts to chill, but isn't cold.  You sort of nest and you begin to think about harvest.  Maybe it is my good old New England roots, but it comes naturally around autumn for me.  All the smells of apples, pumpkin, cinnamon gets my mouth to watering and my mind to working.

Always on the prowl, I find many recipes that I keep to prepare later.  Drives hubby crazy!  Sometimes I get to them, sometimes I alter them to being unrecognizable in their original form.  But, that is what I do as a creative cook and recipe developer.

You will get a taste of that from me here at this blog.  One of my many interest, as well as painting and writing.  You could say I am "full brain" dominant... for another time .....  Anyway.
  
I came across this recipe and it looked so fall like!  Something a little special but oh-so-easy to prepare.  I have adapted to my own flavors (like any good cook) So, I share! ;-)

Apple Caramel Focaccia  Serves 12

1 frozen bread dough, thawed (1 pound)
1/4 cup of melted butter
2 cups of THINLY sliced apples that have been peeled and cored.  I think Mac's are a little too soft, so Cortland is often my apple of choice, particularly when there is loads of sugar elsewhere in the recipe
1/8 cup brown sugar, packed
1/8 cup of white sugar
1 Tablespoon of cinnamon
1/8 Teaspoon each nutmeg, allspice, ground cloves
1/4 to 1/2 small chopped nuts now the recipe called for walnuts but caramel and pecans???? yumm
1/4 cup of jarred Caramel Sundae topping


Preheat oven to 350

Spray a large baking sheet with Pam, set aside.  On a floured surface work the thawed loaf into a circle (or the best you can) to about 12 inches in diameter.  Transfer to the baking sheet.

In a bowl mix apples slices with sugars, spices and nuts.

Brush dough with melted butter (save some butter, as when it comes out of the oven you will brush MORE butter...can you say Paula Deen????... on the top.  Spread the apple mixture over the top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until the apples seem tender and the dough is browned golden.  Remove from oven and brush with remaining butter.

While warm, drizzle a bit  of the caramel topping over the Focaccia, cool a bit more (20 minutes)on a wire rack, (and put jar of caramel in refrigerator for about a half hour too) and drizzle MORE caramel on top.  The double layering is yummmmmmy.

Slice and serve!


JUST IN CASE YOU ARE CURIOUS ABOUT FOCACCIA

 From my favorite folks at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
Focaccia (Italian pronunciation: [foˈkatʃːa]) is a flat oven-baked Italian bread,^[1] which may be topped with herbs or other ingredients.
Focaccia is related to pizza, but not considered to be the same.

Ah, Fall and the Woes of Allergy Season!

Well, folks, I did find out why I was such in a "bum" mood.  Allergies!  By noon that day I was wearing a sweat shirt with a hood (and it is still in the 70's here) and I also just could not get warm.  I started to freeze!  Well, as luck would have it I also started to sniffle.  Now, I am a gal who doesn't get colds real often, and when I do I sometimes start barking (coughing) like a dog, and that is something I find terribly embarrassing.  I "woof", "woof" for weeks, and it often becomes bronchitis.  So, off I went and took my Aire Bourne fizzy, a hit off my nose spray and  gulp  of some purple allergy meds.  Lasted about 12 hours and I was back on my feet, sneezing but feeling much better.

Oh, how cruel a world that makes such a beautiful autumn to fill it with allergens! 

It is now days later and I am still wearing my hoodie, but I at least know why I am feeling the way I do!

I don't know about you, but I get all flustered if I cannot figure out why I don't feel good, either physically or mentally.

For me I will very often get a double whammy and when I feel lousy I also feel down.  There is something to be said about pulling yourself up by the boot straps though.

So, how does one do that?  I think it is different for everyone.  What may work for me, doesn't work for others.  But, here are a few things that I have used that will let me move forward.

1.  Give yourself permission to get some rest.  Hey, when you are absolutely freezing and even your legs are cold, you know something is up.  Your body is telling you it needs to mend and rest.  I am not saying crawl into bed for 24 hours, but what I am saying is allow yourself an hour or two to try to address the immediate issue.  For me I cover in a cozy quilt and put on the electric fireplace/heater and watch TV for an hour.  I often sleep as well. 

2.  After a rest, I get up and say to myself "this isn't a cold" (can you say either self denial or positive thinking?!)  Point is you gave your body something, now let's see where it takes you.

3.  Tell people.  Oh, how many martyrs out there?!?!?!?  "Oh I am fine......" as your eyes look downward and the words whine a bit at the end.  Be realistic and say, 'I am not feeling too well right now, so I am a bit low key".

4.  Prepare others.  If you cannot make dinner the easiest way to feel better about it is to make sure you have something in mind that is easy for people to prepare and feed themselves.  Now, I am not saying my husband is incapable, in fact he very often has had to pinch hit meals.  What I am saying that as a mom, you may be sending a signal that you need some "mom time" and still not get the kids to get overly concerned about it.

5.  Can you say Tuna Fish sandwich?

6.  Smile.  Unless you have meningitis, be grateful.

7.  Medicate.  How  often I have talked to someone, including hubby saying...did you take something for the headache?  No..... well don't whine.  Take the meds then let me know how you feel.  Take your own advice and DO IT.

8.  Drink plenty of fluids.  I am always drinking water, COLD ice water.  You would think that this would be the last thing I would drink if I was cold.  I still do, for health reasons, but there is no reason I can't have a nice cup of instant Chai tea afterward.

9.  Go to bed early.  Or even stay on the couch!  Point is be prepared to put some sleep into being sick.

10.  Don't go to work.  For years I managed about 12-15 people and it would drive me crazy when someone would come into work hacking, sneezing, blowing their nose and "spreading the wealth" so to speak.  Don't go, simply don't go.  No person is irreplaceable for one day.  Also, if you think you are that important, then let them know you can be reached by phone.  Point is YOU are to take care of yourself, so you therefore do not pose a health risk to others.

11.  Finally, know that tomorrow is another chance for a better day.  It is one day in your busy life, but in the scheme of things it is a blip in your timeline.  So, do you really want to stay miserable????


Well, there you go.  Take what you want and leave the rest.  I am not an expert by any means but I am a babbler.


Take care folks, stay healthy and know that you have the right to self heal better than anyone out there!

Bum.....

I feel like a bum today.  Here I sit in my exercise pants, a tee, white socks and the only adornment on me is a headband that I am using because my hair is so darn drab and flat.

I wonder sometimes if other people feel this way.  I got to say it may be a bit to easy for me to do this because I do not work outside the house.

There is a crispness in the air, fall weather is finally arriving.  I wonder how long we will be able to use the new outside patio before the weather settles in.  I look out the window next to the computer onto the shade garden, still lush and green.  I begin to have thoughts of everything dying down...... 

Don't get me wrong , I love fall.  The autumn is "my time" of year.  My favorite, weather wise.  Here in New England the mornings are chilly (60's) and as the sun comes out it warms up nicely.  There are very often breezes that will float through the rooms from open windows.  Then in the evening it starts to cool.  The breezes die down and it takes one more cover on the bed to sleep comfortably.  The sky is so blue and the clouds have a certain look about them in the fall.  They build sideways instead of up and you can see it from the highway as all the clouds seem to have flat bottoms and some are clustered and some stand alone.  The air smells like, well nothing.  Until leaf burning season.

But, I must admit something has got me today.  I am not usually so disengaged.  But, yet I am.  Very often I can self diagnose myself and find a reason for the lack of energy and joy, but I am thinking today it may take some time. 

So, this morning I woke up around 5, let the dogs out, fed them and went back to sleep for a while.  I chose a quick wash up instead of a shower (the reason for the flat and unruly hair) and although I was planning on going shopping for a few groceries, I've decided to put that off until tomorrow.  Chris will just have to go without orange juice tomorrow.  I am so bad.  Then of course I may just go out later.

Lately, I've been busy with many projects and next week I have so many appointments I am tired looking at the calendar.  Maybe that is it.  I am just run down.

Regardless, I think I will make ANOTHER cup of coffee (I usually have only one a day) and hope I don't get "coffee shakes".  But, I feel a need to nurture, to draw inward for comfort.

Comfort.... hmmmm a good subject.   I will attempt tomorrow when my hair is cleaned and prissy, I am in decent clothes and ready to take on the world....and that party we are suppose to go to.

For today just call me Minnie, a drawback from my childhood name.  Because today I feel like nesting and remembering.  I will turn on the fireplace (an electric heater kind) and light some candles and begin my journey into fall.

A Taste of Fall

Here in New England we are looking at a very early fall picking season.  For apples that is.  We had a very warm spring and summer so we find ourselves here in September picking apples, knowing by October there will be only left overs.  It just isn’t same.  Picking apples in shorts is sort of, well, sacrilegious.  No beautiful tree colors of orange, red and yellow.  No fire at the Red Apple farm to warm us as we sip hot cider.  No sweaters and jeans and a crisp in the air that makes you feel like you are blessed to come from this part of the country.  Nope, not this year.

I’ve been married, for a lifetime it seems.  I say that because I have been married longer now than I was single.  So, it  is hard to go back into my adulthood without it actually pertaining to my marriage now.  Although my husband I have a healthy separate personal life as well, it just seems that all those great, warm memories lead back to him. 

Well, let me tell you something when I met my husband I would have never thought I would become the cook I have.  My family was very Irish, very meat and potatoes.  Until I got married I never had a taco (which we lived on the first year we got married) or even a zucchini.  Chris, on the other hand had full course meals, including desserts.  A homemade dessert from my mom was pretty much a purchased graham cracker crust, a box of chocolate pudding and a tub of Cool Whip.  Anyway, you get the picture, very diverse eating styles.  I would argue my husband has a better sense of a balanced meal and found appreciation in all things garden grown.

We got married in the fall and I can remember going to purchase some applesauce to go along with our pork (a left over of the day when applesauce helped in avoiding trichinosis.  Be an old wives tale or not, we always had applesauce with pork).  Well, as I reach you would have thought the heavens were coming down upon my poor husband.  “What is that for?” he ask.  I sort of looked at him funny.  What kind of guy doesn’t know a good jar of Mott’s applesauce?  “I don’t eat jar applesauce”.

God bless my mother in law, she was a regular Mrs. Clever.  She, it turns out made everything by scratch, including applesauce.  I guess the look of confusion was enough for him to remind me of the strange contraption my mother in law made sure I got at my bridal shower.  It was called a “Foley Mill”  (Which, by the way, brings back terrible memories of me trying use the name of this this item in a game where you told a lie or truth and everyone was convinced I was lying.  I lost that stupid game that night because of that dern Foley Mill  I really fought hard to make people believe me)  The Foley is a this bowl type strainer with a handle in the middle which forces the apple meat through these holes, while holding back the skins and the seeds.

So, instead of my faithful jar of Mott’s Applesauce (which I still like) we got a couple bags of Macintosh apples.  So, starts and adventure into making homemade applesauce.  Over the years it begin pretty simply.  Using Mac’s made it so I didn’t have to sugar (a real no-no says my MIL) I proceeded to make homemade applesauce; it really isn’t hard.  I have tweaked the recipe to make it more sophisticated, and hubby actually likes it better.  So, from my New England kitchen I thought I would share my recipe.

Home Made Apple Sauce

About 15 Cortland Apples (which give the applesauce a lovely pink color and a subtle tartness)
10 Mac’s

Remember, this is an approximation, it really does depend on the size of the apples.  I make my sauce in a Dutch oven, and I PACK it.

Oh, you can use any kind of apples.  One year I got a peck (a big bag) of apple "drops" and they actually made a wonderful sauce, but I would never be able to reproduce this because I had no idea what kind of apples were in there!

1/8 c. water in bottom of Dutch oven

Cut apples up, discard core but no need to peel.  I have a neat apple slicer, which can be found anywhere, including the grocery store, which cuts the apple up and separates the core out. It is a push down, push em'out kind of contraption.

Place apples in a large Dutch oven

Cover and start to simmer on VERY LOW heat for about 10 minutes until you can push the apples down a bit, meaning they are starting to cook. DO NOT BURN

Add:
2 T. ground cinnamon
2 T. Apple spice mix (or you can do some “shakes” of allspice, nutmeg, cloves, ginger)
1/8 t. mace (optional) gives a little "kick" to anything apple
pinch of salt
NO SUGAR in my recipe (my mother in law is very proud)!

Add spices after cooking apples about 10 minutes, mix well and continue to cook on low until all the apples are broken down.

Here is where I use a Foley mill and take the broken down mixture and process.  If you do not have a Foley, you can use a strainer and push the meat through and remove the apple skins by hand.  It is messy and doesn’t give the consistency of the food mill.

So, there it is, a little bit of New England in a bowl!  I freeze my applesauce and have it year round.  It taste great and you, too, can “tweak” it to your hearts content.